Mechanically-actuated organ.



No. 760,884. PATENTBD MAY 24, 1904. G. I. D. LOOFP & P. A. KNAPP.

MEGHANICALLY AGTUATED ORGAN. APPLIOATION FILED 00124, 1902.

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TF7 FF A rromve UNITED: STATES Patented May 24, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES I. D. LOOFF AND FREDERICK A. KNAPP, OF BROOKLYN,

, NEWV YORK.

MECHANlCALLY-ACTUATED ORGAN.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 760,884, dated May 24,1904. Application filed October 4, 1902; SerialNo.125,Q56. (N0 model.)

To a, whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, CHARLES I. D. LOOFF and FREDERICK A. KNAPP, bothcitizens of the United States, and residents of -the city of New York,borough of Brooklyn, in the change of note-sheet, the organ being morees-- pecially designed for use on merry-go-rounds and in halls,pleasure-grounds, and other places of amusement. 7

The invention consists of novel features and parts and combinations ofthe same, as will be more fully described hereinafter and then pointedout in the claims. v

A practical embodiment of the invention is represented in theaccompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in whichsimilar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all theviews.

Figure 1 is a transverse section of the-improvement on line 1 1 of Fig.3. Fig. 2 is an enlarged transverse section of the same on the line 2 2of Fig. 3. Fig. 3 is a frontelevation of the improvement, the casing andmain shaft being shown in section. Fig. 4 is an enlarged cross-sectionof the wind-chest and the device for actuating the wind-chest valve, andFig. 5 is a diagrammatic view of the shiftingcam for the carriage andthe arrangement of the series of rows of notes on the note-sheet.

In a suitably-constructed casing A is journaled the main shaft B,extending transversely and carrying at one end a crank O or other meansfor imparting a continuous rotary motion to the shaft B either by handor by. power. On the shaft B, within the-casing A, is socured a bevelgear-wheel D, in mesh with a bevel gear-wheel D, secured on one end of athe main shaft B. Thus when the main shaft B is rotated a rotary motionis given by the gear-wheels D and D to the roller E, and the latter bythe gear-wheels 1) and D rotates the shaft B. I Y

Over the roller E passes an endless notesheet F, also passing overrollers E and E journaled within the casing A, as plainly indicated inFig. 1, the roller E being located a distance in the rear of the rollerE, so that the'note-sheet F extends horizontally from the roller E tothe roller E, and over this horizontal portion are arranged levers G,provided at their forward ends with points G, adapted to fall into thenotes formed on the sheet F in the shape of slots or the like, asindicated in the drawings. The levers G are located one alongside theother and extend transversely and are pressed on-by springs G so as tocause the forward or point ends of the levers to swing downward when apoint G registers with a note on the note-sheet. The levers G arefulcrumed on a carriage H, mounted to slide across the sheet F in thedirection of its width for the purpose hereinafter more fully described,and the rear end of each lever G carries the stem 1 of a valve I,controlling a valve-seat J, connecting a pressure-chamber J with anair-chamber K, having an opening K leading to the atmosphere, thesaidopening K being controlled by a valve 1 held on the stem Iof'the valveI. The pressure-chamber J is connected by a duct J 2 with a wind-chestL, having valves L, controlling openings L leading to chambers N,connected with individual sounding devices O, formed of pipes or thelike, as indicated in Fig. 1. Each air-chamber K connects by a duct orpipe P with a diaphragm-chamber P, (see Figs. 1 and 4,) containing adiaphragm P of leather or other suitable flexible material, and on theunder side of this diaphragm P rests the head or button Q, of a rod Q,mounted to slide in a suitable bearing arranged in the top of thechamber N, the lower end of the said rod Q, engaging the top of thevalve L, normally held to its seat by a spring L to close the opening LThe wind chest L is supplied with air by a pipe R from a bellows R,connected by links H with cranks B on the shafts B and B, so that whenthe latter are rotated, as previously described, the bellows R isactuated to pump air into the wind-chest L.

Now when the instrument is in use and the several parts are in theposition shown in Figs. 1 and 4 and a swinging motion is given to alever Gr by its spring G at the time its point G registers with a notein the notesheet F then the valve-stem I moves the valve I from its seatJ and moves the valve 1 onto the opening K to close the air-chamber K tothe atmosphere and to connect the said chamber with the pressure-chamberJ. Now air from the wind-chest L passes by the duct J 2 to thepressure-chamber J and through the seat J into the chamber K through thepipe I and the diaphragm-chamber P to force the diaphragm P thereindownward, thereby moving the rod Q, in a like direction to swing thewind-chest valve L open and connect the wind-chest L with thecorresponding chamber N to sound the sounding device 0 corresponding tothe lever (Jr actuated at the time. As the note-sheet F travels on, thepoint G is forced upward on reaching the end wall of the note, so thatthe lever G moves back to its former position and in doing so moves thevalve I into a closed position on the valve-seat J and the valve 1 intoan open position relative to the opening K, so that the chambers J and Kare disconnected from each other and the air from the chamber K exhaustsby the opening K to the atmosphere. The diaphragm P is by thisarrangement relieved of pressure within the chamber 1 and consequentlythe spring L closes the valve L and in doing so the valve pushes the rodQ upward, thus moving the diaphragm P back into its former uppermostposition. (Indicated in Figs. 1 and 4:.)

The note-sheet F is provided with a series ofrows of notes F, F F, F, FF, F, and F, forming a plurality of pieces of music, preferably ofdifferent characters, the rows being arranged consecutively and thepieces of music forming the said plurality being arranged in a differentplaying order from the consecutive arrangement of the series of rows.Now in order to bring the points G and levers G in alinement with therows of notes for each piece of music it is necessary to shift thelevers relative to the sheet F, and for this purpose the carriage H,carrying the levers G, is made to slide in the direction of the width ofthe note-sheet F. The carriage H is provided at one end with rods H andH and is mounted to swing at its rear end on a rod H,

carried by the casing A. (See Fig. 1.) A spring H bears against the endof the carriage opposite that from which the rods H and H project, asshown in Fig. 3, to force the carriage in the direction of the arrow (0.The rod H engages the peripheral surface of a cam S at the top thereof,while the end of the rod H engages the face of a cam S, rotating inunison with the cam S, the said cams S and S being preferably fastenedtogether and journaled on a pin S carried by the casing A. The cams Sand S receive an intermittentrotary motion controlled by the note-sheetF, and for this purpose the following mechanism is provided: On one ofthe cams S or S is secured a ratchet-wheel T, engaged by the hinged endT of a pawl T fulcrumed at T" on the casing A and normally held in anuppermost position by the action of a spring T". (See Fig. 2.) An upwardswinging motion is given to the pawl T by a cam T", secured on the shaftB, so as to cause the pawl T to impart an intermittent turning motion tothe ratchet-wheel T and the cams S and S. In order to swing the pawl Tdownward at the proper time, the following device is provided: The pawlT is connected with a pneumatic U, secured to the casing A, thepneumatic being connected by a pipe U with an eXhaust-chamberV, having avalve-seat V opening into the pressure-chamber J, previously described,the said exhaust-chamber also having an opening V leading to theatmosphere. The valve-seat V is controlled by a valve W, secured on avalve-stem WV, also carrying a valve W for closing the opening V at thetime the valve W moves off its seat V to connect the chambers J and Vwith each other. The valve-stem W is connected with a lever G similar tothe levers G, and pressed on by a spring Gr to engage its point G" withone of a series of notes F formed on one end of the note-sheet F andseparate from the notes F, F F, F", F, F", F, and F", previouslydescribed. Normally the valves IV. and WV are in the position shown inFig. 2; but when the point G5 drops into a note F and the spring Grimparts a swinging motion to the lever G" then the latter causes thestem W to move the valve W off the valve-seat V and to move the valve W2 into a closed position to disconnect the exhaustchamber V from theatmosphere. Air from the pressurechamber J now passes through theopening V into the chamber V and from the latter by the pipe or duet Uinto the pneumatic U to impart a swinging motion to the pawl T, so thatthe hinged end T thereof engages the next following tooth of the ratchetwheel T and at the same time the pawl T places the spring T undertension. N ow when the point G moves out of a note F the lever e isreturned to its former position, the valve IV is moved to its seat V,and the valve 'W 2 again moves into an open position to allow the air toescape from the chamber V and pneumatic U, and the pawl T by the actionof the the note sheet F have their notes arranged in' cam T imparts arotary motion to the ratchetwheelT, and consequently to the cams S andS. Now when the cams S and S are turned by the pawl T, as described,then the carriage H and the levers Gr and G thereon are lifted upward bythe action of the rod H on the cam S to disengage the points G and Gfrom the notespring H the carriage is shifted in both directionsthat is,say, first from the left to the right and then from the right to theleft--and step by step, so as to bring the points G in regl ister withall the rows of notes in the note-sheet.

In order to accomplish this result, the carriage of notes F and thesheet- F has made a complete revolution then the cam S shifts thecarriage so as to bring the points G in alinement with the rows of notesF and after this piece of music has been played and the note-sheet;

F has made anotherrevolution then a further shifting of the carriage Htakes place by the action of the cam S to bring the points G inalinement with the rows of notes F On the next shifting of the carriagethe points G are brought in register with the rows of notes and on thefirst shifting, of the carriage the. points G are brought in registerwith the rows of notes F, on the next shifting with the rows of notes Fthen with therows of notes F and finally the points Gr are brought backto the first row of notes F, and then the above-described operation isrepeated. From this it will be seen that the plurality of pieces ofmusic on series of rows, the rows being arranged consecutively and thepieces of music forming the said plurality being arranged in a-diffenent playing order from the consecutive-arrangement of the series ofrows.

arrangement described the single music-sheet essary to frequentlyreplace the note-sheet,

as is the case with self-playing instruments as heretofore constructed.

It is understood that each 'ofthe cams S and S is provided withalternately-arranged inclined and straight surfaces, the inclines of thecam S registering with the straight faces of the cam S and theinclinesof the cam S- Now by the j registering with the straight facesof the cam S. Thus while the. carriage H is lifted by the cam S therod Hengages with its ends the straight faces of the cam S, and when the rodH rests onthe straight peripheral portions of the cam S then the rod His engaged by the inclines of the cam S to shift the carriage Hacrossthe sheet F and bring the points G to the desired positionrelative to the rows of notes, as above described, and when this hasbeen accomplished the carriage H is again lowered.v by the action of thefollowing inclines of the cam S acting on the rod H. When the carriage Hhas finally reached its lowermost position, the intermittent rotarymotion of the cams and the actuating ratchetwheel T ceases, and thecarriage H, remains in this position until the next piece of music hasbeen played that is, .until the sheet F has completed its revolution. His shifted in such a manner that when the 1 points G are first inalinement with the rows 2 Having thus described our invention, we claimas new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1 l. A music-sheet havingseveral series of note characters representing respectively differenttunes, anda musical instrument having sounding devices controlled by themusic-sheet and having a 'stepby-s tep shifting mechanism-acting in bothdirections relative to the width of the ,music-sheet, for executing thepieces of music-in both directions, as set forth.

2. 'A musical instrument having a traveling note-sheet, spring-pressedlevers controlled by the notes on the note-sheet, pneumatic controllingdevices, actuated by the said levers, sounding devices controlled by thesaid pneumatic controlling devices, and a shifting mechanism acting inboth directions relative to the width of the music-sheet, asset forth.

3. A musical instrument havinga traveling note-sheet provided'withseries of rows of notes, a carriage slidable transversely of thenote-sheet, springpressed levers fulcrumed on the carriage andcontrolled-by the notes vices actuated bythe said levers, a wind-chesthaving connection with bellows and having its valvescontrolled by thecontrolling devices, and sounding devices controlled by the saidwind-chest, as set forth.

.4. A musical instrument having a controlling device for a wind-chestValve, comprising an air-pressure chamber connected with apressure-supply, such as the wind-chest, an air-chamber communicatingwith the pressure-chamber and having an opening to the atmosphere,valves, one for controlling the communication between the saidair-chamber and the pressure-chamber and the other for closing theopening of the air-chamber, means for operating the said valves, adiaphragmchamber connected with the air-chamber and containingadiaphragm, and a connection between the diaphragm and the wind-chestValve, as set forth.

5. In a musical instrument, a wind-chest, a sounding device, a valve forcontrolling the admission of air to the sounding device from said chest,an air-pressure chamber, a duct connecting the pressure-chamber with thewind-chest, an air-chamber having an opening communicating with thepressure-chamber and an opening leading to the atmosphere, valves, onefor controlling the opening establishing communication between thepressurechamber and air-chamber and the other for controlling theopening of the air-chamber leading to the atmosphere, the valves beingarranged on a stem one below the other, a notesheet, levers controlledby the note indications of the said sheet and with which the stem of thesaid valves is connected, a diaphragmchamber, a duct connecting thediaphragmchamber with the air-chamber, a diaphragm in said chamber, anda rod connecting the valve of the wind-chest with the diaphragm, as setforth.

6. A musical instrument having a traveling note-sheet provided withseries of rows of notes, a carriage slidable transversely of the sheet,spring-pressed levers fulcrumed on the carriage and controlled by thenotes on the said note-sheet, pneumatic controlling devices controlledby the said levers and controlling the sounding devices, and shiftingmeans for automatically shifting the carriage, to bring the leverssuccessively in alinement with the different series of rows of notes onthe notesheet, as set forth.

7. A musical instrument having a traveling note-sheet provided withseries of rows of notes, a carriage slidable transversely of the sheet,spring-pressed levers fulcrumed on the carriage and controlled by thenotes on the said note-sheet, pneumatic controlling devices controlledby the said levers and controlling the sounding devices, and shiftingmeans for automatically shifting the carriage, to bring the leverssuccessively in alinement with the different series of rows of notes onthe notesheet, the said shifting means being arranged to move thecarriage step by step in both directions relative to the width of themusic- .sheet, as set forth.

8. A musical instrument having atraveling note sheet provided withseries of rows of notes, a carriage slidable transversely of the sheet,spring-pressed levers fulcrumed on the carriage and controlled by thenotes on the said note-sheet, pneumatic controlling devices actuated bythe said levers and controlling the sounding devices, and shifting meansfor automatically shifting the carriage, to bring the leverssuccessively in alinement with the different series of rows of notes onthe noteshcet, the said shifting means being arranged to move thecarriage step by step in both directions relative to the width of themusicsheet, the said shifting means comprising two cams engaging thecarriage, one for lifting the carriage and its levers and the other formoving the carriage lengthwise, as set forth.

9. A musical instrument having a traveling note-sheet provided withseries of rows of notes, a carriage slidable transversely of the sheet,spring-pressed levers fulcrumed on the carriage and controlled by thenotes on the said note-sheet, pneumatic controlling devices actuated bythe said levers and controlling the sounding devices, shifting means forautomatically shifting the carriage, to bring the levers successively inalinement with the different series of rows of notes on the note-sheet,the said shifting means being arranged to move the carriage step by stepin both directions relative to the width of the music-sheet, the saidshifting means comprising two cams engaging the carriage, one forlifting the carriage and its levers and the other for moving thecarriage lengthwise, and cam-actuating means for intermittently rotatingthe cams, controlled from the note-sheet, as set forth.

10. A musical instrument having a traveling note-sheet provided withseries of rows of notes, a carriage slidable transversely of the sheet,spring-pressed levers fulcrumed on the carriage and controlled by thenotes on the said note-sheet, pneumatic controlling devices controlledby the said levers and control ling the sounding devices, shifting meansfor automatically shifting the carriage, to bring the leverssuccessively in alinement with the different series of rows of notes onthe notesheet, the said shifting means being arranged to move thecarriage step by step in both directions relative to the width of themusicsheet, the said shifting means comprising two cams engaging thecarriage, one for lifting the carriage and its levers and the other formoving the carriage lengthwise, and cam-a6- -tuating means forintermittently rotating the cams, controlled from the note-sheet, thesaid cam-actuating means comprising a ratchetwheel, a pawl for the same,a pneumatic on the pawl and having connection with an airchamber, apressure-chamber, a valve mechanism for connecting the chambers witheach other and for closing the air-chamber to the atmosphere, and alever connected with the said valve mechanism and controlled by thenote-sheet, as set forth.

11. A musical instrument having a carriage carrying note-sheet levers,and means for supporting and shifting the carriage, said meanscomprising a face-cam and a peripheral cam, both cams rotating inunison, the cams being engaged by arms on the carriage, as set forth.

12. A musical instrument having a carriage carrying note-sheet levers,means for supporting and shifting the carriage, said means comprising aface-cam and a peripheral cam, both cams rotating in unison, the camsbeing ongaged by arms on the carriage, and means for imparting anintermittent rotary motion to the said cams from the note-sheet, as setforth.

IIO

13. A musical instrument having a carriage carrying note-sheet levers,means for supporting and shifting the carriage, said means comprising aface-cam and a peripheral cam, both cams rotating in unison, the camsbeing engaged by arms on the carriage, and means for imparting anintermittent rotary motion to the said cams from the note-sheet, thesaid means comprising a ratchet-wheel on the cams,

a pawl for the ratchet-Wheel, a pneumatic on the pawl, an air-chamberopen to the atmosphere and connected with the pneumatic, a pressurechamber connected with the airchamber, a valve mechanism for controllingthe connection between the chambers, and a lever on the carriage,engaging the said valve mechanism, the lever being controlled by thenote-sheet, as set forth.

In testimony whereof We have signed our names to this specification inthe presence of 20 two subscribing Witnesses.

CHARLES I. D. LOOFF. FREDERICK A. KNAPP. Witnesses:

THEo. G. HosTER, EVERARD BOLTON MARSHALL.

